2014 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,760 MOT tests, the 2014 Audi A8 recorded a 93.0% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 15.4% of the time, so this is 8.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.3%) and emissions & environmental (1.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, malfunction indicator lamp and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 87 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 1.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 8.0% once past 150k — 4.7× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 16.9% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.3% | 155 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 79 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.4% | 65 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.9% | 43 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 38 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.7% | 33 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 87 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 71 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 43 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 41 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 30 |
| 6 | Wipers | 20 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 16.9% | 803 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.2% | 487 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.2% | 297 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.5% | 213 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 174 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 59 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 119 | 1.7% |
| 30-60k | 901 | 6.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,524 | 6.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,215 | 7.7% |
| 120-150k | 598 | 7.4% |
| 150k+ | 402 | 8.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,287 | 7.0% |
| Petrol | 462 | 7.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,022 | 7.0% |
| 2022 | 963 | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 955 | 7.3% |
| 2024 | 922 | 6.9% |
| 2025 | 898 | 7.1% |
What to check before buying a 2014 A8
On a 2014 A8, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Emissions & environmental (1.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (1.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2014 Audi A8s pass their MOT?
93.0% of the 4,760 2014 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Audi A8?
Tyres, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (1.7%).
Does the 2014 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 1.7% in the 0-30k band to 8.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,760 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.